The Dawson High School senior puts in half a day's work, tending to his steer and his three pigs at the ag barn, then heads home for breakfast and it's off to school.

After school, it's home, homework, then back to the ag barn for the evening feeding.

It's been that way for four years, said Cole.

"Some of my friends in ninth grade got me into it," he said. "It looked like a lot of fun."

Cole's latest projects were on display last weekend at the first Pearland Independent School District Livestock Show and Career Expo. He took third place in both steers and pigs. He's considering going to either the University of Texas or Texas A&M and if it's the latter he's planning on majoring in agricultural science.